The Bride and the Drunk
by RGaffney
Summary: Everyone's heard about someone crashing wedding, but a reception? It's something that only a drunk Gilbert can do.


When everyone thinks about "crashing a wedding", the hero-esque boy runs into the church and yells, "I love you!" to the girl getting married. The girl bursts into happy tears, runs into the boy's arms and kisses him while family and friends look on in horror or happiness.

This "Hollywood hope" was running through Elizabeta's head as she smiled at her husband-to-be Roderich. As she prayed for a good marriage with her husband, she secretly prayed that _the _boy would run into the church and yell, "I love you!"

The priest coughed. Liz's head jerked up. "As long as you both shall live?" The priest repeated.

"I do." Elizabeta said.

She smiled at her new husband. She loved him, right? She must love him. She just got married to him. Dating that other boy in college didn't mean anything. She loved Roderich now.

They stepped into the limo. Roderich always kept things formal, so there was no crazy ride to the reception. They held hands and smiled at each other as the bridesmaids asked them small questions like: "How many kids do you want?" "What kind of house will you live in?"

Elizabeta formed a new scene in her mind as the slow ride continued. She hoped her maid-of-honor Belgium would ask her is she loved someone else. Belgium would help Liz run away to find her true love. But Belgium just smiled at her from her seat in the car. Liz's heart sank.

They got out of the car. They made their way into the reception hall, where family and friends cheered them on. She waved to her family and took her place at the table to eat the wonderful food that Rod's friends made for them.

The entire time, Liz hoped that something would happen. She would get away. Out of this dress that made it hard to breathe. She told herself that nothing would happen after the father-daughter dance, so she gave herself until that time to wish he would come.

As she stepped out onto the dance floor for the husband-wife first dance, she scanned the crowd looking for him. But he wasn't there. Everyone cheered for them after the dance. All the cheering was starting to get to her head.

After a pause, the DJ asked the father of the bride and the bride to make their way to the dance floor. This was it. Liz's hopes fell to the floor as she danced. She asked herself if she should tell her father, but he smiled at her and whispered little things into her ear, like: "I hope you know how proud I am." Or "I love you very much, Lizzie."

Liz looked at her father and smiled back. "I love you-"

"Hey! Watch it! This is a private party!" She heard. She and her father stopped dancing to look at two men running after another man, who just barely made it up the stairs to the reception.

The two guards were Romano and Sweden. Two of the most trusted men Elizabeta knew were in charge of making sure riff-raff wouldn't get in. Romano winced as the man made it to the top of the stairs.

"He says he knows you!" Romano yelled from his position on the stairs.

"O couse I know heur!" The man yelled back at Romano. Liz's heart started to beat faster and at the same time, sunk to the ground. Well, he came, but did he have to come drunk?

The man looked up at Elizabeta. His red eyes searched her up and down, his white hair was a mess and his clothes were not in the best shape.

Roderich stepped in front of Liz and her father, who were still standing on the dance floor.

"What are you doing here, Gilbert?" Rod demanded of his cousin.

"I came heerrre…" Gilbert paused to let out a hiccup. "Toooo talk to yurrr loovvvally brriide." He gave another hiccup.

"This won't do!" Liz's father yelled. "I won't let this drunken man convince us that he knows you, Liz!"

"I knnnow hurrr!" The Prussian yelled. "I know hur bettur th'n all o yoouu puuut to…gethuurr!"

More people came to stand around Liz, as if they were protecting her from Gilbert. She stretched her neck out to see Gilbert. He was leaning on a chair that was set up near one of the small round tables for guests to sit at. The area around him was clear of guests and the stink of beer filled the empty space.

"Leeet me seee hhuuurr!" Gilbert said.

"No!" Everyone yelled.

"I won't let you hurt her!" Roderich yelled.

"IIII'm nnnoot goonnnaa huuurt huuurrr!" Gilbert slurred. His head started to sink until it was staring at the floor.

"Why do you want to talk to my daughter so badly?" Liz's father yelled. Liz rolled her eyes. It seemed that everyone thought they could make Gilbert sober if they all yelled at him.

"I nnneed to see huurrr!" Gilbert said. "Pllleassee?"

"For God's sake, let me through!" Liz pushed people out of the way.

Gilbert head snapped back up. He looked at Liz, standing there in her dress. The bodice was covered in beads to the point that it was stiff. Gilbert smiled at her.

"C'n yooouu brrreathe inn that thhhiinnng, LLLLiiz?" Gilbert asked her.

Elizabeta gave him a pitiful smile. "I'm fine, Gilbert."

"Nnnooo yyyyuuurrr nnot! Yuuurrr nnot fffinne!" Gilbert said.

Liz blinked. "What do you mean by that, Gil?"

"Yuuuuurrr nnot ffinne caauuse yuuurrr nnot wiithh mmmee!" Gilbert tried to yell.

Everyone gasped at what he just said. As everyone tried to find something to say to the drunk, another man ran up the stairs.

"Bruder!" The German yelled. He grabbed the Prussian by the back of his shirt. Gilbert gave a loud belch.

"I'm sorry, Liz!" Ludwig said. "I tried to keep him away-"

"Hhheee knneew I'd ddo thhee whhhoollle 'speeeak nnnaaaooow ooorrrr forrreeeevverrr hhhhooollld uuuurrrr piiieeccees'." Gilbert slurred before picking up one of the guest's champagne glasses and downing the whole thing.

"It's 'peace', Bruder." Ludwig said.

"Whhhaaatevvverrr." Gilbert said, picking up another glass.

Liz was still shocked about Gilbert trying to make it to her wedding. She wanted him to come, right? Why was she shocked?

"I will not let you try to ruin this day for my wife!" Roderich yelled.

"Forrr Goodd's Saake, Rrrrooddiiiee!" Gilbert yelled.

Elizabeta decided to end the madness that was forming. She took a few steps towards Gilbert, who opened his arms for her. Part of her wanted to run to him and hug him, but she slowly made her way over to him. Then, because he was in a drunken stupor, he tripped over himself. Everyone took this to be an act of violence, as if he was going to hit Liz. Liz knew all of the typical blunders that Gilbert made when drunk, so she thought nothing of it until her husband grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

Ludwig grabbed Gilbert by his shirt. Instead of grabbing Liz's hand, like he planned, Gilbert ended up grabbing her skirt. There was a small ripping sound and some of the beautiful silk on Liz's skirt was now in Gilbert's hand.

Gilbert smiled. "Iiitt'ss ooookaaayyy, ittt diiiddnn't loook gggoood oonn yyooouuu." Gilbert said. "III wwouulldd piiicck sssoommmtthhinng diiiffeerreennnt fffuuurrr yyoouuu."

Again, Liz couldn't speak. She prayed he would show up, right?

"Young man," Her father stepped between the bride and the drunk. "You will need to leave now. You can speak to my daughter when you are sober."

"Thhhhhaat woonn't beee eenoougghh tiiimme!" Gilbert yelled. "IIIII nnnneeedd tooo tellll hhuuurrr nnnooooowww!"

"Get out!" Liz's father yelled.

Then Gilbert turned violent. He took one of the glasses and threw it at the wall. He ripped the tablecloth off one of the tables, taking the silverware, plates and food off with it. Everything but the cake was destroyed, which two smart people moved to the corner of the room.

"It caaannn'tt beee hiiimm!" Gilbert yelled. He turned to Liz and her family, tablecloth in hand. "It ssshhouuld bbeeee mmmeee!"

He locked his eyes with Liz's. "Ich liebe dich, Elizabeta."

Liz knew enough German to understand what he said. Unfortunately, so did Liz's husband.

"I'll kill you!" Roderich yelled.

Gilbert laughed. "Yyyooouu doon't hhaavvee thhhee baaalllsss, Rooodd!"

Liz's family lunged at the Prussian. She knew that he had more fighting skills then her family, so she pulled Gilbert to the side before he killed them all.

"You are coming with me." She said loud enough so her family could hear.

When her family tried to stop her, she waved them off and pulled Gilbert to the balcony outside of the reception.

She crossed her arms and turned away from Gilbert so she could think about what she was going to say.

"Doonn't bee mmaad." Gilbert said. "Plleeasse."

"I don't know what to say." Elizabeta told Gilbert.

"Thhnnn doonn't saayy annythhinggg." Gilbert staggered over to her.

"I can't say nothing!" Liz raised her voice. "You just crashed my reception!"

"Donn't yellll. Yooouu ssouunnd mmaad wwhhennn yoouuu yeelll." Gilbert said.

Liz couldn't help but laugh. She did sound mad. She really wasn't, but she was so used to raising her voice. She laughed until tears rolled down her face.

"Arrrr yoouu saadd nnooww?" The drunk Gilbert tilted his head to the side.

"No!" Liz laughed. "I'm…" She smiled. "I'm happy. I'm happy!"

"IIII like iiiitt whheennn yuuurrr haaappyy…" Gilbert said. He reached over and held her hand.

"Gilbert, you dolt!" Liz laughed. She could help but turn and hug him.

"Caannn youu chhannngge yyyuuurr mmiinnd?" Gilbert asked. "Abbouuut Rrrroooddd?"

She smiled. "Well, you're about an hour and a half late. You should have made it to the wedding." Gilbert looked down. Liz pulled his chin up until his red eyes looked into her green ones.

"But I think I can change my mind." She said quietly.

"Yooouuu lloovvee meee?" Gilbert said.

"Yes, Gilbert. I love you." Elizabeta said. "I've always loved you. I didn't want to break up with you in college."

"Wwweeellll, iifff yoouu llloovve mmeee, thnnn pprrrooovee iiittt." Gilbert said.

"There you are!" Roderich said. Liz and Gilbert walked back into the reception hall.

"We were wondering where you went!" Liz's father said.

Liz didn't talk to them. Instead, she marched past them as Gilbert stood by the stairs. She stormed over to her own wedding cake, picking up a wine glass as she went.

She raised the glass over her head and threw it at the cake. The icing flowers on the first tier of the cake were knocked clean off, along with some of the white cake itself. All the guests gasped at the sudden act of anger and rebellion. Gilbert stood at the top of the stairs, laughing like a loon.

"Grrreeat sshhhooott, LLLLiiizz!" Gilbert said.

Liz tore off the bottom layer of her dress so she could walk, well, run, to Gilbert. He grabbed her arm and together they ran down the stairs and out the door.

"Well, I'm glad that's over." Gilbert said, no hint of a slur in his voice. "It took you long enough to face the fact that I'm more awesome than Rod."

"Wait, were you even-" Liz started.

"Drunk? No." Gilbert smiled. "I knew you would never let me do any of that when I was sober."

Liz gave a sigh. Gilbert turned to her and gave her a quick kiss before getting in Liz's car. He started it up, but stopped it so he could get out and get rid of the "Just Married" sign and the cans attached to the car. He crumpled it up and gave it to Liz.

"Present for the bride." He said.

Liz stepped out of the car and walked to the small lake outside of the reception hall. It was the place they were going to have her wedding pictures done. She threw the crumpled mess into the lake.

She smiled at Gilbert. "Best wedding gift ever."

Gilbert laughed and helped her into the car again.

_*****Woo! First one-shot! I took about three days break from "The Babysitters" to do a short story about my favorite pair in Hetalia. Thank you all for taking the time to read this!*****_


End file.
